Himachal govt reinstates teacher accused of sexual harassment

Dharamshala:Controversies refuse to die at Rajendra Prasad Medical college at Tanda. The medical college is again in news following reinstatement of a senior faculty by the government charged with sexually harassing a student at the medical college. This is the same medical college where Aman Kachroo was ragged leading to his death.

RS Yadav, head, department of Biochemistry was reinstated by the government following his suspension in April last year on a complaint of a girl student who had complained that Yadav was influencing her to to withdraw the sexual harassment charge against him.

The student had earlier filed a complaint in 2008 of sexual harassment against Yadav. A FIR was also registered against him on Jan 17, 2008. Yadav was suspended on the complaint of the student in February 2008 and reinstated within six months. He was suspended again in April 2009 on the complaint of same student.

Principal Secretary (Health) PC Dhiman said, ‘Yadav has been reinstated but the government probe against him regarding the allegations of sexual harassment is still on. Under service rules, we can’t keep an employee under suspension too long.’

Yadav’s reinstatement has come at a time when the complainant student is still studying in the college. It can lead to an adverse affect on the psyche of the student and also the outcome of the pending inquiry.

Following the reinstatement, the student, who is pursuing a four-year B.Sc Medical Laboratory Technician course said, ‘College authorities do not seem to be serious about the inquiry against the teacher. I am really disheartened and it certainly gives a wrong message.’